It is well known to form knitted panties or briefs from circular knit blanks For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,530 discloses the formation of a panty garment from a single tubular blank continuously knit from one end to the other and being of the same diameter throughout its length. A semi-circular cutout is then formed in one side of the medial portion of the tubular blank and walewise slits are formed above and below the cutout to form a flat blank with the central crotch area being reduced in width. The flat blank is folded in half and the slit edges at opposite sides are sewn together to complete the panty with the front and rear portions of the waistband being knit in opposite directions in the finished garment. The knitting of the front and rear portions of the waistband portions in opposite directions imparts a different appearance to the front and rear waistband portions and the terminal end portion of the last-knit waistband portion has a tendency to unravel.
British Pat. No. 1,328,276 discloses two different types of panties formed of circular knit blanks. The panty of FIGS. 1-6 is formed of two separately knit circular blanks of the same length. These blanks are longitudinally slit and joined along opposite side edges to form joined-together front and rear panels. The lower end portions of the joined-together panels are then cut along curved lines to form leg openings and finally the lower ends of the front and rear panels are connected to each other by a separate gusset with transverse seams extending across the front and rear of the crotch area. The form of panty illustrated in FIGS. 7-9 is substantially identical to the panty of U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,530, discussed above.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,985,004 and 4,048,819 disclose the formation of a panty garment from a single circular knit tubular blank, the central portion of the blank is knit with elastic yarn incorporated therein to contract and draw the same inwardly into an hourglass configuration and to provide increased fabric density in the crotch area. The circular blank is then slit in a walewise direction and transversely folded, and the opposite slit edges of the upper portions adjacent the waistband are stitched together to form the panty portion. However, the panty of these two patents is formed of a single-piece seamless blank which includes a turned welt at each end of the seamless blank. The turned welts on opposite ends of the blank are knit in opposite directions so that the completed panty has the same disadvantages as the panty of U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,530, discussed above.